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Sunday, January 8, 2012

Week One of my Clutter-free Challenge

It's amazing how much you learn to ignore when you are forced to look at it all day. You begin to not see the piles of papers, things that need to be filed, and more importantly the things that were not put back in order. The following pictures were taken when I walked in last Tuesday morning. I knew I had not put some things away when I stopped during vacation, but didn't realize the janitors wouldn't be back to empty trash. It made things look even worse than I expected.

View from the door

I don't have a regular desk, but my computer desk is somewhere in behind the piles! The storage units hold all of the desk items. The paper sorter needs to be sorted and relabeled so students can put extra copies back. Too many papers on the bulletin board to the left, and the file cabinet needs work inside and out. It holds binders of blackline masters. There are things on top of the cabinets behind the desk that need to be put away. I need to do something with my rug. Duct tape isn't cutting it! The little bookshelf needs organized. Some of those things haven't been touched since September. Time to pitch it!

The toner cartridge in the box needs to be recycled. The AR computers need organized. I need to remind students about reshelving library books to keep baskets neat.

My library needs straightening, but it isn't too bad. The top shelf on the other hand needs to be de-cluttered. I don't think I'll need the fans for a while, although it was fifty degrees on Friday!

The counter needs a little work. It is the only place for my Cricut (LOVE IT) and one of my iPads. The Senteo Response Clickers need a better home. The leveled readers in the little crates are still in baggies. Those need to go! The other crates (on top) are more leveled readers for guided reading.

The display frames need changed out. The students want their pictures (flipped earlier to protect students' identities during a photography session) and their new art projects showing.

The "Talk Show" area isn't bad but the sticker needs to be removed from the storage unit. Magazine crate under chair needs sorted and the raggedy ones need to go. The stack unit by the door needs new labels for the various classes and subjects to encourage students to turn in completed work to the right place.

The bookcase in the corner holds the grade level copy of all curriculum and support materials, as I am lead teacher. I should find another location. The rest needs to be sorted, recycled, and purged. The snowman with "snow" needs to be packed up but has been almost our only snow! It was for our unit before break. Student cubbies need to be cleaned out. I saw one had papers from September in the bottom! Out of sight out of mind?

Notice I didn't show the insides of cabinets? They really aren't too bad. I spent days organizing and purging before school started. They may not be so good when everything gets sorted and things I need to save need a home.